Make Camden Age Friendly
Published on 05 April 2018 10:44 AM
In light of the upcoming local elections, Age UK Camden is supporting the manifesto from Age UK London, which it helped create. The manifesto urges councillors across all parties to support the pledges and themes in “Make London’s Boroughs Age Friendly”.
Mary Burd, Chair of Age UK Camden, said; “we acknowledge that Camden has a good record of good services to older people, and we have a strong partnership working with the borough which includes service delivery. Camden also faces the challenges of public funding cuts, and increasing demographic pressure including numbers of older people. Key themes of the manifesto are to continue to protect the most vulnerable, recognise the contribution of older people, and make Camden and the whole of London age friendly.”
Older people contribute massively to our borough as paid workers, volunteers, carers, grandparents, community activists and in other ways. At the same time, many older people experience poverty and inequality. Many older people with long term support needs, and their families, are in serious difficulty because of the funding pressures on adult social care.
The manifesto includes the following key points;
1. Quality, responsive local care services. Give top political priority to ensuring that older people with identified care needs are not left without support
2. Age Friendly Boroughs and Neighbourhoods. Bring the borough into line with the Age Friendly Cities approach and cooperate with other local authorities and the Mayor of London to develop this concept. In particular, work to make the borough dementia friendly if this is not already in progress.
3. Better Communication with Older People. Make information and advice accessible to all older Londoners, including disabled people with physical and sensory impairments and those who are not online
4. Make London’s Housing Age Friendly. Ensure provision of more genuinely affordable, accessible housing to rent (long term) and buy for people of all ages; meet at least the London Plan targets for provision of good quality, affordable specialist housing for older people.
5. Accessible Transport for Older Londoners. Ensure that the borough supports retention of the Freedom Pass and TfL 60+ Oyster Photocard and that they are not means tested.
Read the full manifesto here